Afar and Alone
by Originals143
Summary: In a city so beautiful and promising, she was all alone, living a life in hell, longing to escape into her own world of happiness which she had left back far away.


In response to a couple of requests, I finally decided to write this one! A sort-of continuation to my story 'Friendship is Life!', though not an exact continuation. The idea is not too interesting and logical, and I don't know how many of you will actually like it. Please note that I am not at all good in writing intriguing stories, and you will have to expect only such kind of stories from me (atleast for a while! :P) Anyways, enjoy!

/\/\/\/\/\

The city was buzzing with bustling streets of noise and traffic lines of numerous cars moving in unison near the University of Westminister, as the Tower Bridge stood over the Thames, awaiting its scheduled time of lift-up, with thousands of cruises passing from under it.

At the window of the University hostel, one girl, however, was sitting all alone gloomily, as she kept staring blankly at the huge circle of the London Eye near the banks of the Thames, as it kept rotating slowly, while the night lights were reflecting beautifully over the soothing water of the river. She sighed as she saw the people some running to the underground station, some sitting in a nearby pub laughing out loud accompanied by their favourite alcohol, while some simply standing and relaxing along the banks of the Thames taking snaps of the main attractions of London – the Big Ben, London Eye and the Tower Bridge. However they were, they had someone or something to accompany them.

"Just one more month!" Tarika thought as she saw a group of boys sitting on a table outside a popular pub, cracking jokes, and having something which seemed like beer. "One more month and I am out of this place! To_ my_ city! _My_ world, _my_ people, my..._life_!". A faint smile sprang on her face, as she remembered the days spent with her friends back in college. Those friends which she had left behind for the sake of pursuing higher studies here in London, for the sake of making a new life here – a life completely different from her earlier life.

Tarika remembered how these two years had changed everything in her life, and how she had started feeling lonely and isolated right from the day she came to this city for higher education, even after having a huge bunch of colleagues. When she had arrived in London to pursue her Majors in Forensics at the University of Westminister, she had hoped to make some new friends over here. But she was disappointed. All her colleagues had a diverse lifestyle from that of her, and soon reality crashed upon her as she found it impossible to adopt it for her own. After college, all they used to do was either go to some pubs or bars for alcohol, or a disco where they used to dance like mad street urchins pulling desperate girls close to them and screaming obscenities.

Over the course of two years, Tarika had seen it all. Right from chain smokers to severe alcoholics to drug addicts to desperate girls and boys to people having unnecessary angry outbursts and hurling profanities. And when she used to witness it right in the college hostel, she just used to run away to her room and lock herself in, dreading to step out. She just couldn't cope up with the people, the lifestyle here. The more and more she witnessed it, the lonelier she felt and the more she wanted to run away from the place. She had no one in this huge city, no friends to share her feelings, her loneliness, no one whom she could talk to, to laugh out to, to cry her heart out to.

She used to talk to her friends in India, but it didn't used to last up for more than 10-15 minutes since everyone was busy in setting up their career and sometimes the difference in the timings of London and India used to be a major concern. She mostly used to talk to them through chat or emails, but that was not enough. She needed someone to be there with her, to hug her, to laugh and cry with her, to hang out with her...to play pranks on her.

As she was getting bored, sitting idly after a hectic week of the last semester exam, she decided to call up her Mom. "Hi Mom!" she greeted dully. "Hi _beta_! How are you doing?" Her mom replied warmly after hearing her daughter's voice. "Nothing! Just...just wanted to hear your voice!" Tarika sighed. Her mother was no stranger to her daughter's slight depression over her loneliness and she empathized with her "Just one more month baby! After you come back here, I am sure you would be jumping up and down with joy, and start everything afresh!" she assured her daughter. Tarika felt better and smiled "Yeah! I am _dying_ to come back! Anyways... you and Dad are coming down for the convocation, right?" "Of'course we are! See you there soon! Good night!" She smiled as she hung up.

As she was slowly arranging her stuff in her suitcase, she found a photo frame of herself with her best friends taken during one of their college parties, with everybody grinning broadly, their smiles reaching upto their eyes. "I can't tell you how much I miss you guys!" she smiled as tears started to form up in her eyes as she gently moved her hand through the picture. "Why did everyone of you had to decide to become a police officer! Why couldn't anyone of you take up forensics as your career, so that you could have come here to accompany me!"she vented out, her tears flowing at a fast pace now. Sometimes she used to wish that if her parents were not so stinking rich as to afford an abroad education for her, and she would have stayed back in Bombay – or maybe somewhere in India where she could atleast go over to be with her friends.

Tarika sighed heavily, as she wiped her tears and smiled "But don't you worry guys! Just one month! And I am coming back! Back to you guys. Back to my home. My..._life_!" She smiled expectantly and felt better and confident as she took one look at the picture and kept it back carefully in the bag.

/

As soon as she exited from the baggage belt area at the airport followed by her parents, Tarika's eyes started searching three faces with an eagerness as same as a fish exposed to air, would have, towards water. When she saw them finally, she felt as if she had gotten her life back after being injured in a world-war, and her face produced a huge 1000-wolt grin, as she squealed and ran over to them, but not before Tasha attacked her and pushed herself on her to give her what seemed like the tightest hug ever, followed by happily smiling Vivek and Rajat.

"Oh My God! Oh. My. God.!" Tasha couldn't contain her excitement "I can't believe I am seeing you after two. whole. years!" Tasha jumped up and down, as she let go of Tarika who beamed at her best friend "Yeah, I know! I can't mention how much I missed you guys!"

"Welcome back bookworm!" Vivek smiled, as he pulled Tarika into a hug "Oh sorry! Welcome back _'Dr. Tarika'_!" He corrected himself, emphasising the last two words and Tarika smiled coyly.

"It's 'The Forensic expert Dr. Tarika' if you say it more precisely" came Rajat's voice from besides Vivek. "Rajat!" Tarika grinned at her best friend, as she went over and hugged him. "Congratulations!" Rajat smiled, ruffling her hair "For topping in Forensic Science majors in the entire university!" He beamed, as Tarika's parents exchanged proud smiles.

"Thank you 'Sub-inspector Vivek' and 'Inspector Rajat'" Tarika replied, emphasising the words, signifying their importance. "And yeah..would be Police Officer Tasha!" she added, smiling at her best friend.

"I was confident you would top the university" Rajat mentioned, as he and Vivek went over to help Tarika's parents take over their hand-bags from them, now that the much-awaited reunion was accomplished. "Well...thanks! But Salunkhe Sir really guided me a lot!" Tarika supplied. "Speaking of which... I have to give you guys another great news!" she continued excitedly.

"What..You finally got a boyfriend?" Vivek teased, as Tarika's parents' eyes widened to twice their normal size, making Vivek shut up. "Oh shut up!" Tarika glared at him, as they walked out towards the car-parking area "Just because you have become a CID officer, that doesn't mean you can just say anything you wish, and get away with it!" She barked as Vivek smirked.

"Ok! Ok!" Tasha seemed impatient "What's the great news?" she looked at her best friend questioningly. "Well... Salunkhe Sir has offered me to work as his assistant in the Forensic Department!" she smiled enthusiastically. Vivek and Tasha's jaws dropped down literally to the floor and Rajat stared at her with widened eyes, as though he had seen a ghost. "Are you serious! Salunkhe Sir! As in _Dr. Salunkhe_! He has asked you to work with him?" Tasha exclaimed incredulously, and finally snapped out of her reverie as her face split into a wide proud grin.

"That is just awesome!" Vivek yelled excitedly, patting Tarika's back "So that means you are gonna join the CID?" his voice was impatient. "Ummm...well not now! Salunkhe Sir says I will have to practise first, after which he will evaluate me and decide thereupon!" she said.

"Wow man!" Tasha squealed "This really calls for a celebration!" "Speaking of which..." Rajat cleared his throat, and announced theatrically "Since my best friend and only sister has finally completed her medical studies, and has secured a job under one of the most proficient and excellent forensic scientists in the world, we all are having a light slumber party at my house tonight!" he smiled proudly at Tarika.

"Yay! And I have prepared your favourite tomato pasta and baked some cheese pizza!" Tasha supplied to Tarika excitedly. "Not to mention she messed it up almost thrice, until her Mom finally helped her to fix the pasta gravy!" Vivek snorted as he turned to his best friend exasperatedly "I really pity your future husband whoever he is!" "Oh cut it out!" Tasha snapped "_You_ don't have to worry about that ok, because anyways I would _never_ think of dating you, you jerk of a creature!" she glared at him dangerously. "Oh please! I would never even dream of dating _you_ even if you are the last person existing on earth!" Vivek declared pointing at her, as Tarika and Rajat rolled their eyes and exchanged knowing smirks. "Oh yeah? Considering the amount of those _stupid_ fangirls you have..." "Ok! Ok guys! Cool!" Tarika cut them hastily, standing in between both of them, before they could get a chance to start a fistfight. "Are you guys planning to start a 'Jaane tu ya jaane na – part 2' at the airport here?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at them.

"Of'course not!" Vivek laughed off, as he stuck his tongue out at Tasha, who wholeheartedly returned the favour. "Here! Let me take your bag to the car!" He leaned over to help Tarika in carrying her luggage.

"But I am still warning you, don't trust Tasha's cooking skills so much!" Vivek smirked at Tasha with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Will you keep that damn bag in the dicky already?" Tasha said impatiently, as she stood with her hands on her hips, making a disgusted face at him.

"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Tarika hugged her parents "I'll see you tomorrow. Take rest you two! ok?" She warned them. "Bye _beta_!" Tarika's Mom smiled at her, as she patted her cheek before turning to her friends "Kids please keep it light ok? She's already tired. She needs rest!" She told them, and smiled satisfactorily as she earned a look of assurance from each one of them.

"Oh no! I am perfectly fine!" Tarika assured everyone. "I just...feel so good to be back! I feel completely fresh!" she said emotionally. "Ok! Let's leave fast before we get any complaints about the airport being flooded with tears!" Rajat laughed, as Tarika whacked him hard on the head.

"I can't believe it guys!" Tarika turned back to face Vivek and Tasha in the car. "I mean... we all started with being friends in college, took up further studies, and now! Now look at us! I am officially a forensic doctor, Vivek and Rajat are already trained police officers, and Tasha will be joining her training in a few weeks!" she smiled. "Time flies so fast! I still remember the days we had in college! Those canteen gossips, gathering notes, completing assignments! Guys...those were the best days of our lives, weren't they?"

"Yeah, totally! Those days will never come back, no matter how hard we try!" Vivek agreed, as they all smiled in unison reminiscing some of their best memories. "But that's what friends are for, right?" Tasha exclaimed "They give us some of the best memories which stay with us for our entire life!" Tasha smiled, as the three of them nodded in agreement.

"By the way..what's up with Rahul? Anyone knows when's he coming back?" Tarika enquired. "He had called up a couple of days back to inform that he is done with his Masters in Biotech, and will be coming back next week" Rajat informed his best friend. "Cool! Which means we would probably be having another reunion after he comes, and before Tasha leaves for her training!" Vivek supplied and everyone nodded happily, as they drove off to Rajat's place, making plans for the reunion, their future, to stay in touch forever and many more things on their way to the new beginning of their life.

**~~ The End ~~**

A/N : Well, so this was it! I know it is definitely not as innovative and amazingly mind-blowing as you guys write. But just a small attempt, specially dedicated to my friends who gave me some of the best days of my life! Miss you guys! :') And all my friends here on FF...if you genuinely like this one, please R&R.

And sorry for not including Rajat in my previous story. I wanted to write that one with ONLY Tarika, Vivek and Tasha. Hence, included Rajat only in this story!


End file.
